A Story You Don’t Know About Scott Adams
Like many “Dilbert” fans, I was sad to hear of Scott Adams’ passing today.
If you don’t know who Scott Adams was, this is what the @Dilbert account says:
Dilbert by Scott Adams is the most photocopied, pinned-up, downloaded, faxed and e-mailed comic strip in the world.
That’s quite a thing.
Back in the day, I used to read the comic in an actual newspaper—Imagine that! I didn’t know at the time that I would move to Pleasanton, CA, and meet the actual Scott Adams. I also didn’t know that when he worked at Pacific Bell, that was in San Ramon—right next door.
Scott co-owned a restaurant in town called “Stacey’s”—named for his business partner. It was the first place I ate when we moved here in 1998. Ten years into the comic’s syndication, Dilbert was already capturing the quirks of tech and office life in a way that was authentic and funny.
Our family became regulars at Stacey’s. The décor was modern, the food delicious, and the front counter always had a display of plush Dilbert and Dogbert characters.
Our family met Scott at Stacey’s restaurant around 2000 or 2001. We were frequent buyers at the restaurant, with trendy wall decorations and delicious food. We would often walk in and look at which stuffed “Dilbert” or “Dogbert”—Dilbert’s dog–a megalomaniacal intellectual, planning to one day conquer the world, who were on display in a cabinet at the front of the store.
One night, around 2000 or 2001, a man greeted us warmly at the door. He noticed my then-toddler son Michael—cute as a bug at age three or four—and handed him a pre-signed “Dogbert” plush.
Once we were seated, I turned to my husband and said, “That was such a nice manager.” He smiled and said, “Honey—that was Scott Adams.”
Scott Adams posted his final message was posted today on X.
Yes, Scott became a controversial figure later in life—his political stances and comments were widely debated. You may or may not have agreed with him.
But here’s what I remember: A kind man, standing in the foyer of his restaurant, who smiled at a little boy and handed him a gift.
Sometimes, a single moment says more than a headline ever could.
RIP Scott Adams. You made us laugh—and in our case, you left behind a memory that still makes us, and that little boy, smile.
Did you ever meet someone famous in a surprising place? Share your story!
Judy Lloyd, owner at Altamont Communications Strategies is a 20+ year public & government relations professional. Stay tuned – Purple Inspiration Podcast coming soon!